Reviews// The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - The Full Review (Wii)

Does the voice for Kilik in Soul Calibur...

Posted 7 Dec 2006 20:00 by
In spite of how much bitching was done when Wind Waker was released, a very vocal group of people really appreciated it for the masterfully crafted work of beauty that it was. Those same fans have now expressed concern for the re-re-imagining of the Zelda world, back to its Willow-like 3D beginnings. To them I say, "fear not". I too doubted the GameCube’s and eventually the Wii’s ability to deliver a realistic Zelda with the proper amount of wit, charm and character that I had come to expect. But my fears were gradually put to rest as the game eventually gripped me firmly by the short and curlies and refused to let go.

Even now as I type this, my mistress calls to me from the den. I’ve never so badly wished for the ability to have multiple saves so that I could more easily revisit my favourite scenes. Sadly the life of a games journalist doesn’t allow for repeated playing of 70-hour games.

As I said in my earlier pre-review, there are some spotty textures to be found, artifacts of its 4-year old console hardware roots, but the game, in spite of its limitations, stands as one of, if not the best looking Game Cube game to date... on a Wii.

The audio is classic Zelda - for better or worse. The score, of course, cannot be acclaimed enough. Unnumerable, haunting, well-arranged pieces help to carry you through an equivalent number of scenarios. Never grating or irritating, the music is nothing short of superb. Sadly, it's all Midi - another hold over from the small discs of the GameCube, I’m sure.

As a positive though, the Midi arrangements in Z:TP far exceed the quality of a great many fully-orchestrated games I’ve played over the years. So, while it might not rattle your 7.1 system like you may have hoped, it does serve to heighten the whole experience.

Other sound effects feel as though they were lifted straight out of previous Zelda games, and mixed with the guy who does the voice for Kilik in Soul Calibur (seriously, when you toss your first goat tell me that’s not him). The classic ding of a rupee, the little slap noise from Link’s hand as he finishes a forward roll and the “DU NU NU NUUUU” of treasure-chest-opening fame, they’re all in there and then some.

One major complaint I keep hearing about, and that I can only partially concur with, is the lack of voice acting for the non-Link characters. However there are two good reasons why this game should not, and luckily did not, have voice acting throughout:

First, anyone who has played Oblivion can tell you how annoying those same five actors got to be after just 20 hours of game play. Unless Nintendo felt like bullet-pointing Zelda with "the largest voice cast in a videogame ever", I don’t see it turning out well.

Secondly, for all intents and purposes, it is a GameCube game. Unlike Oblivion where you can play for 80 hours and hear the same phrases over and over again, every character in Hyrule changes what they have to say based on current events. The amount of dialogue would be staggering. The extra time spent recording it all would have pushed back the game's release and possibly upped the price, two things I don’t think any of us wants.

Despite its few flaws and unfortunate technical limitations, Twilight Princess still stands, in my opinion, as the greatest Zelda game yet created. The revolutionary controls are stunning. The unmatched storytelling creates an experience that is simultaneously familiar and like nothing you’ve ever seen before. If you have a Wii you must own this game. If you don't own a Wii, get one, if for no other reason than to experience this bit of classic Nintendo magic.

SPOnG-Score: A

Extraordinary story told through stunning cinematic sequences engages like no Zelda before it. Wii-specific controls not only add to the immersion but help improve the actual game play. Slight control issues and lack of camera controls are disappointing. 50-100 hours of playtime, hidden mini-dungeons and secrets galore. Buy this game, go now, stop reading and go do it!
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Comments

Showing the 20 most recent comments. Read all 21.
billson 8 Dec 2006 00:41
2/21
well have to post out reactions to the game ourselves here, but no spoilers, GOD HELP YOU if is see spoiler, like the one where u are actually playing as princess zelda not link, woops.......only messin!
RiseFromYourGrave 8 Dec 2006 06:31
3/21
i think that the lack of speech also leaves more to the imagination. after so many many years of them speaking in my head, i dont think i could bear to hear my gaming heroes seemingly possessed by some american cheeseball
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billson 8 Dec 2006 18:17
4/21
gd point,and also, anyone whos played oblivion will know that after 20 hours of the same 5 voice actors, you get a little antsy...
phoo 13 Dec 2006 01:46
5/21
You actually can have more than three save slots.

Save whatever you want in the three slots, and you can back up the whole zelda save file (or any other game save file) to an SD card in the Wii data management menu. Put that data on a PC and you essentially have infinite backup save space. Continue playing on the save file that remains on the Wii and just copy the back-up file to the Wii anytime to relive all you best catalogued moments.

Have fun!
billson 13 Dec 2006 02:49
6/21
cool, thatll save sum space on the system memory as well, cheers. I actually think this IS the best zelda game ever made, not the best game ever tho, that will in my opinion always be Deus Ex or Ocarina of Time.
majin dboy 13 Dec 2006 09:38
7/21
nice idea phoo.

everyone,was like,"omg,no voice acting" people like PJ,every group of friends has one PJ in them.

and even ign,bashed it for feeling clostraphobic,but billson raises a good point,for epic games there is to much repatition,which can lead to it feeling false or even dare i say "produced",if u know what i mean.

wen i play zelda,i dont think,oh god i hav2 read for cut scene x or conversation y,u r just lost in the world, and therefore dosnt matter that ther is no voice acting.
RiseFromYourGrave 13 Dec 2006 12:11
8/21
i imagine the people who complain about the text speech in Zelda are the same imbeciles that complain about subtitles in those foreign films theyre so miffed by
LUPOS 13 Dec 2006 14:37
9/21
phoo wrote:
You actually can have more than three save slots.


Good on you for thinking that out. I never even tried it but in truth the one downer to that would be quiting out of the game evertime you saved in order to manage the memory.

I don't think i'll be going through and saving all my saves from now on since it's kind of a pain but it's good to know it's possible.

Besides, someone will probably just put all the cutscnes compiled on youtube anyway... if they aren't already there.
____________
billson 18 Dec 2006 03:29
10/21
Zelda-30 hours in (No Spoilers)- Zant=W****r, Midna-loyal companion and more of a friend that Navi ever was!, Link-Legend as always. Who here would dare to commit sacrilege and rename link in their own name?
RiseFromYourGrave 18 Dec 2006 03:49
11/21
billson wrote:
Who here would dare to commit sacrilege and rename link in their own name?


haha i thought the same when i restarted ALTTP today. i always give it some thought at the name input screen but i can never bring myself to call him anything but link. it seems like a lie :D. it pretty much is one, come to think of it
majin dboy 18 Dec 2006 13:57
12/21
yeah,i really should have called him link,but i dont regret calling the hero dboy,the wii is all about immersion after all.
billson 20 Dec 2006 03:29
13/21
yeh, but Link is LINK, not dboy, the hero of time is epic not a fanboy!!!
OptimusP 20 Dec 2006 07:58
14/21
I named him Tim...after...me...that's always fun to do...and i'm stuck! I can't get the last tear of light in the Zora domain...it's in the passage way that leads from the Zora domain straight to hyrule field and both entrances are sealed with rocks...i can't blow those things as a wolf!
majin dboy 20 Dec 2006 09:08
15/21
i dont think u have to blow them up,no u just not bash into the wall and it falls off?maybe im thinkin of the wrong tear.


the last insect is "difficult"
LUPOS 20 Dec 2006 14:20
16/21
OptimusP wrote:
I named him Tim...after...me...that's always fun to do...and i'm stuck! I can't get the last tear of light in the Zora domain...it's in the passage way that leads from the Zora domain straight to hyrule field and both entrances are sealed with rocks...i can't blow those things as a wolf!


The last tear should be in lake hylia not the zora domain. It's been a little bit since i played that section, have you already unthawed the zoras? If not thats probably your actual next step. I can tell you how to do that if you need.

_____________
Ditto 20 Dec 2006 15:15
17/21
Prehaps you guys could use spoiler tags?
LUPOS 20 Dec 2006 16:08
18/21
Adam M wrote:
Prehaps you guys could use spoiler tags?


Can we? Config?
_____
majin dboy 20 Dec 2006 16:22
19/21
what about just doing SPOILERS**************************** ,no?
TimSpong 20 Dec 2006 17:04
20/21
Adam M wrote:
Prehaps you guys could use spoiler tags?


I'd much prefer for people just to have more respect for their fellow (or fellowette) gamers... erm... man. But, hell, I much prefer cars with indicators (all German cars have 'confirmators' at best)... and drivers who use them, so what do I know?

Sure, we'll see what we can do about Spoiler tags in the pre-Xmas madness...

cheers all

Tim
OptimusP 20 Dec 2006 19:40
21/21
no need, i allready figured it out, now on my way to go into the deep-watery temple!
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